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Bidvest Wits 3-1 Black Leopards

Bidvest Wits kept their fading Absa Premiership title hopes alive with a rollicking 3-1 victory over Black Leopards in Johannesburg on Wednesday evening.

The Students needed a victory to have any chance of overtaking Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns as the season-long title race nears its conclusion, and they did exactly what was required of them.

First-half goals from Deon Hotto and Simon Murray put Gavin Hunt's side in the driver's seat before Mwape Musonda pulled one back, but Domingues' second half strike snuffed out any chances of a Leopards fightback.

Leopards should have taken the lead in the 22nd minute when they were awarded a penalty for Buhle Mkwanazi taking down Mahangwahaya inside the area, but the normally reliable Mwape Musonda sent his effort over the crossbar.

In a cruel twist, Wits were handed a penalty of their own just a few minutes later after King Ndlovu brought down Simon Murray, who made no mistake from the spot to put his side 1-0 up.

Wits doubled their lead moments later when Hotto headed home an accurate cross from Elias Pelembe, but the Namibian went from hero to villain soon after when he conceded another penalty to Leopards, allowing Musonda to make up for his earlier miss and reduce the deficit.

It ended 2-1 to the Clever Boys at the break, and with Leopards not looking particularly threatening after the restart, Hunt went on the offensive by bringing on Haashim Domingo to replace Murray up front.

The move would pay off in the 73rd minute when Pelembe found the bottom corner after cutting in from the right to make it 3-1 to Wits.

Leopards looked to have pulled one back through Lefa Hlongwane, but the goal was ruled out for offside and the Students held on to collect all three points and remain in third place in the table.

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